Vending machine



N. R. HARVEY 2,023,955v

VENDING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l /5 4 a .'37 l z f 4/'i' n 2 l 42 |y 44- III lli'I Il 44 l v 'il g1; iii

I i l'l 45 l i 45 Y E V R A H R. N.

VENDING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2u .4. w Y a sATTORNEYS.

Dm. E0, 3&935. N. R. HARVEY' VENDING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1953 4Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. wwf/AN 7? Mam/.sr

ATTORNEYS.

Y E V R A H R. N.

VENDING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1933 4 Sheets-Shea?l r4 INVE' A/AT/-A N7?/L/X R ws Y 9% @am TUR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. O, 1935 UNETE STATES TNT OFFICE 'VENDXNG MACHINEApplication May 9, 1933, Serial No. 670,057

Claims.

The invention relates to machines of the class commonly referred to asvending machines, and has for its object to p-rovide a machine of theindicated type which includes a suction cleaning 5 means adapted forcleaning raiment such as is generally worn by human beings. Theinvention contemplates primarily the provision of a simple and eiiicientmachine whereby a cleaning device such as a clothes brush or itsequivalent is made available for a `predetermined period of time forclothes brushing or cleaning purposes coinciden- 'tally with thedevelopment of suction at said brush or its equivalent during such timeperiod. Another object of the invention is to provide the machine with acoin-controlled means whereby the operation of said machine is dependentupon the preliminary insertion of a coin of the proper denomination.Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafterand the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of theinvention without defining its limits, Fig. l Ais a rear elevation ofthe machine, with parts 'in section; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation onthe line 2 2 of Fig. l; Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary detail Views,looking at right angles to each other, with the casing in section; Fig.5 is a fragmentary rear elevation on an enlarged scale; Fig. 6 is avertical sectional view on the line 6-5 of Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is ahorizontal section on the line aI- l of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a detail viewof a signal device which may be included in the machine; Fig. 9 is arear face view of the suctionbrush which may form part of theillustrated machine; Fig. 10 is a section on the line I-Ii! of Fig. 9;Fig. l1 is a front face View of the brush, and Fig. l2 Yis a fragmentaryfront view of the machine.

While the drawings show the machine in its preferred form as coincontrolled, it is to be understood that it may also be constructed in aform which does not require the insertion of a coin preliminary to theoperation of the machine.

In the illustrated example Ythe machine comprises a casing i5 ofsuitable dimensions and form and preferably ornamental in appearance,said casing l5 being open at the back or otherwise con-- structed torender its interior readily accessible at will; if the casing is open atthe back it is preferably provided with a movable cover IS capable ofbeing locked in its operative position to close said casing. Ihe latteris provided interiorly with a substantially sound-proof compartment i5'9i' auxiliary casing II in which an electric suction device I8 issuitably mounted, said suction device i being illustrated in the form ofa suotion motor of the type commonly found in well known vacuumcleaners; the compartment II maybe made sound-proof in any conventionalvman- 5 ner as by being completely closed and sealed or by beingotherwise constructed in any well known way to effect the desiredresult. The motor I8 is provided with an outlet E9 which communicateswith a dust bag 2@ or its equivalent, said dust bag 10 2d beingremovably connected with said outlet I9 in any convenient manner anddepending therefrom in an internal chamber 2'I located below saidcompartment I'I in the casing I5 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In additionthe suction motor 15 i3 includes Van inlet 22 with which one end of vaflexible tube or suction hose 23 is connected preferably so as to beeasily detachable therefrom; the other end of the hose 23 is connectedwith a suction cleaning device 24 which in the illustrated examplecomprises a brush of novel construction.

`As ,shown in Figs.. 9, 10 and 11 the brush 24 comprises .a hollow body25 provided at one vend With a tubular extension 26 in the free end of25 which a bushing 2i is interiorly secured sofas to project beyond thesame in an axial direction as shown in Fig. 10. The bushing 2 extendsinto the end of the hose 23 and is preferably provided with projections28 adapted to bite into said hose 23 and prevent its withdrawal from thebushing 2; to x the hose 23 in connection with the-brush 2li a sleevev29 is frietionally fitted externally upon the tubular extension 2@ andthe contiguous. end of rthe hose 23 as illustrated in Fig. 10. In addi-3 5 tion to the body 25 the brush 24 comprises a carrier 3d lwhich issecured to the body 25 in surface engagement therewith by means ofscrews 3! preferably countersunk in recesses 32 as shown in Fig. l0; thecarrier 3S is provided with bristles 33erranged, for instance, asillustrated-in Figs. v10 and 11, and further includes suction openings34 which register with corresponding suction openings 35 formed in thebrush body 25 as indicated in Figs. l0 and 1l. In order to localize thesuction when 45 the brush 24 is being used, said brush further includesa guard or member 3@ preferably of rubber or other yielding materialwhichsurrounds the carrier 3G andfprojects beyond thesame soas toenclose the bristles 33; the arrangementiis such 50 that the .bristles33 project outwardly beyond the guardor member 36 to a limitedextent sothat when the brush is Abeing utilized the bristles 33 are free toperform their functions while Vthe guard 36 will engage thesurface ofthe garment 55 being brushed and thus will localize the suction at saidbrush to thereby effect a most eiicient cleaning action in a minimum oftime.

The tube or hose 23 passes over a grooved roller 31 and out through anopening 38 to the exterior of the casing I5; in the preferredarrangement the opening comprises part of a recessed fitting 39 suitablymounted on the casing I5 to provide an external recess 40 in which thebrush 24 is normally accommodated as shown in Figs. 2 and 12. The roller31 is rotatably mounted on an axle 4I and fixed thereon against axialdisplacement in any convenient manner, said axle 4I having its oppositeends fixed in carriers 42 slidably mounted on upright guide members 43located interiorly of the casing I5 as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. Forthe purpose to be more fully set forth hereinafter the carriers 42 areconnected, by means of chains 44 or the like with counterweights 45which are slidably mounted for vertical movement on guide rods 46secured at the proper places in the casing I5 as illustrated in Fig. 5;to facilitate the operation of the parts the chains 44 pass over idlerrollers 44a suitably mounted in the casing I5. In the normal raisedposition of the roller 31, in which the brush 24 or its equivalent islocated in the recess 45, the counterweights 45 occupy a loweredposition in which they rest upon a supporting bracket 41 suitably fixedWithin the casing I5 as indicated in Fig. 5.

As shown in Fig. 4 at least one of the carriers 42 is provided with alug or projection 48 which is engaged by the hooked end 49 oi' an upperlocking lever 50 pivoted at 5I within the casing I5 and adapted to lockthe carriers 42Y and consequently the roller 21 against downwardmovement; as a result the brush 24 or its equivalent is held in therecess 46 and the hose or tube 23 is locked against withdrawal from thecasing I 5.

In order to operate the lever 59 in a manner to shift the hooked end 49thereof into and out of its operative position, the lever1 50 isprovided with 45. a pin 52 which projects into the slot 53 of avertically slidable member 54 as shown in Fig. 4; the lever 50 isfurther influenced by a spring 55 one end of which is connected with thepin 52 and the other end with a pin 56 carried by the member 54.

During the operative periods of the machine in which the brush 24 isremoved from the recess 48 and the hose 23 is withdrawn from the casingI 5, the roller 31 and carriers 42 occupy lowered positions as will bemore fully explained hereinafter. In order to lock the roller 31 and itsassociated elements in such lowered position, to thereby relieve thehose 23 and the brush 24 or its equivalent from a pulling forcedeveloped by the counterweights 45 and tending to withdraw said hose 23into the casing I5, a lower locking lever 51 is pivoted at 58 within the'casing I5. The lever 51 is provided with a hooked end 5S adapted tocooperate with the lug 48 to prevent the carrers 42 and roller 31 fromrising in said casing I5, and said lever` 51 is connected by means of apin Bil and slot 6I with said vertically slidable member 54 as shown inFig. 4; in addition a spring 62 has its one end connected with said pin68 and its other end attahed to a pin 63 mounted on the slidable member54. In the preferred arrangement the lever 51 is movable between spacedstops 64 suitably located in the casing I5 and serving to limit thepivotal movements of said lever 51 as shown in Fig. 4. The member 54 isprovided with a notch or recess 65 for the accommodation of the lockingnose 66 of a bellcrank intermediate locking lever 51 pivoted at 68 inthe casing I5 as illustrated in Fig. 4, a spring 69 having its one endconnected with Vsaid lever 61 and its other end With a pin 16 fixed inthe casing I5 and exerting a tension tending to adjust the locking nose66 into its operative position. The locking nose 66 of the lever 61, inco-operation with the notch 65, serves to lock the slidable member 54 inits raised position in the manner and for the purpose to be more fullyset forth hereinafter. In addition to the parts so far described theslidable member 54 may be provided with.- a shoulder 1I or equivalentdevice adapted to engage and actuate the operating member 12 of arecording device 13 of any conventional type; with this arrangement therecording device 13 is operated each time the member 54 is raised andthereby records `the number of times the machine has been operativelyutilized, this being of particular importance if the machine iscoin-controlled, and in case serving as a check upon the amount of moneywhich should be contained in the coin box or receiver.

In the illustrated machine, the slidable member 54 is controlled bymeans of a main rod 14 extending slidably through a lug 15 located atone end of a member 16 pivotally connected at 11 with the member 54,said main rod 14 being provided with a projection 18, preferablyadjustable thereon and adapted to engage said member 16 in the manner tobe more fully set forth hereinafter. The rod 14 is operatively connectedwith a link 19 pivoted at 8U to a crank illustrated in the form of adisk 8I fixed upon the end of a rotatable shaft 82. The latter isoperated by means of an externally accessible operating member 83 shownin Figs. 2 and 4; if the machine is coin-controlled, as illustrated, theshaft 82 is made in two parts journalled in a suitable coin-operateddevice 84 so arranged that the twol parts of the shaft 82 are capable ofoperation only after a coin of the proper denomination has been insertedin a coin slot 34@ with which the machine in such case is provided. Itwill be understood that any conventional arrangement may be substitutedwhereby operation of the shaft 82 is possible only through the medium ofa selected coin, and otherwise is incapable of being actuated; in anycase the coin after having performed its function passes into acoin-chute 85 and nally drops intoy a suitable coin-box or receptacleproperly located within the casing I 5. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 therod 14 is slidably connected with a second or auxiliary rod 85 and isprovided with a projection 81 which in the preferred arrangement isadjustable on said rod 14, and in any case is adapted to engage andoperate the second rod 86 as will appear more fully hereinafter. Thesecond rod 86 is pivotally connected at 88 with the intermediate lockinglever 61 and serves to shift the locking nose 66 thereof into itsinoperative position in predetermined operative synchronism with theother operative parts of the machine.

To cause the machine to remain in operation for a predetermined timeperiod and to restore the parts to their initial position coincidentallywith the automatic stopping of the machine at the end of said timeperiod, the rod 14 is operatively connected at 86 with the switch lever9i] of a time switch 9i or equivalent time controlled mechanism capableof being adjusted for different predetermined time periods; inasmuch asthe time controlled mechanism, per se, forms no part of the invention ithas not been deemed necessary to illustrate the same in detail as anyconventional form of such mechanism suitable for th-e purpose may beutilized. In any case the time controlled mechanism or time switch 9| islocated in circuit with the suction motor I8 and controls the startingand stopping thereof.

For the purpose of audibly indicating each withdrawal of the hose 23from the casing I5 to permit the brush 24 or its equivalent to be usedfor its intended purpose, the machine may include a signal comprising,for instance, a bell 92 suitably mounted within the casing |5. In theillustrated example the bell 92 is sounded by means of a resilienthammer 93 carried by an arm 94 pivoted at 95 within the casing I5 andincluding an extension 96 projecting into the path of the axle 4| asshown in Figs. 5, '1 and 8; the arrangement is such that when theextension 96 is engaged and depressed by the axle 4|, the hammer arm 94will engage an adjacent portion of the casing I5 and be flexed therebyas indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8. Under such conditions the hammerarm 94 will develop a tension and when released, because of the passageof the axle 4| beyond the extension 95, will snap the hammer 93 intocontact with the bell 92 with considerable force and thereby produce aringing of said bell 92 which will be audible over any noise existing inthe vicinity of the machine.

With the parts in the normal position shown in the drawings, the hookedend 49 of the upper locking lever 59 is located beneath and inengagement with the lug 48 of one of the carriers 42 so that it isimpossible to withdraw the hose 23 from'the machine, and, as a result,the brush 24 or its equivalent is locked against removal from the recess49; this is due to the fact that the engagement of the hooked end 49 ofthe upper locking lever 59 prevents the carriers 42 from movingdownwardly. Under such conditions the suction motor IS is not inoperation and consequentlyno suction is developed in the hose 23 or atthe brush 24 or equivalent device.

On the assumption that the machine is coincontrolled, use of the brush24 or its equivalent may be obtained for the time period for which thetime switch or time controlled mechanism 9| is set, by simply insertinga coin of the proper denomination into the previously mentioned coinslot84a. The inserted coin by passing into the coin-operated device 84 makesit possible to operate the shaft 82 by suit-ably rotating the operatingmember 83 and brings about a rotation of 'the crank-disk BI in adirection to lift the link i9 and thereby correspondingly raise the rod14. The upward movement of said rod 14 operates the switch lever 99 in amanner to close the circuit in which the suction motor I8 is located andat the same time to start the time switch or time controlled mechanismin operation; as a result the suction motor I8 develops suction in thehose 23 and at th-e brush 24 or its equivalent. Coincidentally with theabove operations the stop 18 exerts a lifting action on the member 16and thereby raises the slidable member 54 into its upper position; assaid member 54 is thus moved upwardly the shoulder -1| by engagementwith the operating member 12 will actuate the recording device 13 torecord thereon the operation of the machine. At the same time the upwardadjustment of the member 54 will swing the upper locking-lever -59-in adirection to-shift its locking nose 49 out of engagement with the lug 48so that Athe carriers 42 are now free to move downwardly on the guidemembers 43; the upward actuation of the member 54 also swings the lowerlocking lever 51 in a direction to move its nose 5 59 into the path ofthe lug 48 as will be clear from Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The brush 24 or its equivalent is now free to be removed from its recess49 and by exerting a pull on said brush 24 or equivalent device and 10thereby developing a pulling force on the hose 23, the carriers 42 willbe moved downwardly on the guide members 43 and the hose 23 will bewithdrawn from the machine to permit the brush 24 or its equivalent tobe used for brushing or 15 cleaning the clothes of the person desiringuse thereof. As the carriers 42 reach their lowered position the lockingnose 59 rof the lower locking lever 51 will snap over the lug 4B of theone carrier 42 and accordingly will lock said carriers 20 42 in theirlowered position to thereby relieve the hose 23 from a pulling forcetending to withdraw it into the casing I5 and the brush 24 or itsequivalent into the recess 49; it will be understood that as thecarriers 42 move downwardly 25 in the manner set forth thecounterweights 45 are pulled upwardly on the guide rods 45 and therebydevelop a force tending to raise the carriers y42 to their upperpositions which is prevented during the operative periods of the machineby 30 the nose 59 of the lower locking `lever 51 in cooperation with thelug 48 as described above.

In addition to the operations so far described, the upward movement ofthe rod 14 correspondingly raises the stop 81 and accordingly permits 35the second rod 86, under the influence of the spring 69, to move upwardand to swing the intermediate locking lever 51 in a direction to shiftits locking nose 66 into the notch 55; the vmember 54 is thereby lockedin its raised position and 40 the locking levers 59 and 51 arecorrespondingly locked in the positions to which they have been adjustedby the upward movement of said member 54. It will be understood that assoon as the inserted coin has completed its function of 45 bringingabout the operation of the rod 14 and 'associated elements, said coinpasses downwardly through the coin chute 95 into the coin-box orreceptacle with which said chute communi- Cates; the accumulated coinsmay be removed 5o from said coin-box by an authorized person at will.

The parts remain in the positions set forth above during the operativeperiod for which the time controlled mechanism 9| is set, and 55 duringsuch period permit the brush 24 or its equivalent to be freely used forits intended purpose. As soon as the predetermined time period haspassed the time-switch or time controlled mechanism 9| will operate tothrow the 6o switch lever 99 downwardly back to the position illustratedin Fig. 4; the electric circuit will thus be interrupted .and thesuction motor I8 will be accordingly stopped so that the development ofsuction in the hose 23 and at the brush 24 or a5 its equivalentcoincidentally ceases.

As the switch lever moves downwardly by the action of the timecontrolledm'echanism 9|,

a downward pull is exerted upon the rod 14 which, by correspondinglypulling the link 19 70 downwardly, restores the crank-'disk 8| and shaft82 to the normal positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4. At the same time thedownward movement of the rod 14,'through the medium of the stop 81,exerts a downward pull on the second 15 l5 and 6.

rod 86 which swings the intermediate locking lever 6! against thetension of the spring 69 in a direction to shift its locking nose E6 outof the notch 65, the stop 18 on the rod 'I4 being coincidentally movedaway from the lug 'l5 of the member 16. The slidable member 54 isthereby released and drops, by gravity, back to its original positionshown in Fig. 4 and accordingly swings the upper locking lever 59 in adirection to shift its locking nose 49 into the operative position, andat the same time moves the lower locking lever 5l in .a direction todisengage its locking nose 59 from the Vlug 48 of one of the carriers42; during these return movements of the parts, the member 54 developsno operative action on the Operating member l2 which simply returns tothe initial position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 without operative eiect-uponthe recording device 73. As soon as the locking nose 59 of the lowerlocking lever 57 is disengaged from the lug 48, the counterweights 45will slide downwardly on the guide rods 46 and by means of the chains44, will lift the carriers 42 and the grooved roller 3'1 back to theelevated positions shown in Figs. The raising of the carriers 42 androller 3'! will react on the hose 23 in a manner to withdraw Vthe'sameinto the casing l5 and to restore the brush 24 or its equivalent to therecess vas soon as the carriers 42 reach their upper positions, thelocking nose 49 of the upper locking lever 5) will snap beneath the lug48 and thereby lock the carriers 42 and associated elements in theraised positions, so that the hose 23 and the brush 24 or equivalentdevice are again locked in the inoperative position illustrated in Fig.2. The machine is now again ready for the insertion of another coin tobring about another operative period of said machine in the mannerpreviously seil forth herein.

if the machine is not coin-controlled the parts may be operated bysimply manipulating the operating member 83 as set forth above, thelatter and its associated elements, in such case, being c constructed ina manner to bring about the desired results, without requiring asuitable coin to be first inserted into thn machine.

In all of its forms the machine provides a suction brush or equivalentdevice for use as a bushing or cleaning medium throughout a given timeperiod, predetermined by the type of service which is to be performed bysaid brush or the like; the well recognized eiiiciency of the suctiontype of cleaning device is thus made readily available for brushing orotherwise cleaning the apparel of any one requiring or wishing theservice. At the end of the predetermined time period the brush orequivalent cleaning device is automatically returned to its recess inwhich it occupies an inconspicuous, though easily accessible,

position. The machine is ornamental in appearance and may be installedin theatres, hotels, restaurants, the home, and in fact at any placewhere it may find utility. The machine furthermore is extremely simplein construction and reliable in action and requires no particular skillin the control and operation thereof.

By locating ,the suction motor iS within the easing i5 in asubstantially sound-proof compartment or auxiliary casing il, anyoperating noises developed by said motor i8 are eifectively muiied, andthe machine is rendered practically noiseless.

Various changes in the specificfcrms shown and described may be madeWithin the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

l. A` vending machine of the type described comprising a casing, asuction producing device 1n said casing, a receptacle within said casingremovably connected'with the outlet side of said suction producing.device, a suction hose connected with the inlet side of said suctionproducing device and extending outwardly of said casing, a suctioncleaning device connected with said suction hose exteriorly of saidcasing, a roller in said casing over which said hose passes, carriers onwhich said roller is mounted, guideways in said Ycasing on which saidcarriers are vertically movable, counter-weights connected with saidcarriers whereby the latter are maintained in and returned to a raisedposition in said casing, a lug on one of said carriers, an upper lockinglever co-operating with said lug for locking said carriers and roller insaid raised position, a lower locking lever co-operating with said lugfor locking said carriers and roller in a lowered position, a verticallyslidable member in said casing for adjusting the two locking levers toand from operative positions in inverse relation, the upper lockinglever being in locking position when the vertically slidable member isin its lowered position and the lower locking member being in lockingposition from said member is in its upper position, an intermediatelocking member for locking said slidable member in its raised position,time-controlled switch mechanism controlling the starting and stoppingof said suction producing device, a main rod connected with saidtime-controlled switch m'echanismkfor operating the same to start saidsuction producingdevice and having a loose operative connection withsaid vertically slidable member to permit said time-controlled switchmechanism to operate independently of said vertically slidable member tostop said suction producing device, an auxiliary rod connected with saidmain rod and with said intermediate locking member for shifting thelatter to its inoperative position, a spring for adjusting saidintermediate locking member to its operative position, and means foroperating said m'ain rod to start said time-controlled switch mechanismand to coincidentally adjust said slidable member in an upward directionand to release said auxiliary rod whereby said intermediate lockingmember is adjusted to its operative position by said spring, said mainrod being actuated by the aforesaid independent operation of saidtime-controlled switch mechanism to operate said auxiliary rod andthereby shift said intermediate locking member to its inoperativeposition whereby the vertically slidable member and associated elementsare released and restored to normal positions by gravity.

2. A vending machine of the type described comprising a casing, asuction producing device in said casing, a receptacle within said casingremovably connected with the outlet side of said suction producingdevice, a suction hose connected with the inlet side of said suctionproducingdevice and extending outwardly of said casing, a suctioncleaning device connected with said suction hose exteriorly of saidcasing, a roller in said casing over which said hose passes, carriers onwhich said roller is mounted, guide Aways in said casing on which saidcarriers are said casing, a lug on one of said carriers, an upperlocking lever co-operating with said lug for locking said carriers androller in said raised position, a lower locking lever co-operating withsaid lug for locking said carriers and roller in a lowered position, avertically slidable member in said casing for adjusting the two lockinglevers to and from operative positions in inverse relation, the upperlocking lever being in locking position when the vertically slidablemember is in its lower position and the lower locking member being inlocking position when said member is in its upper position, anintermediate locking member for locking said slidable member in itsraised position, time controlled switch mechanism controlling thestarting and stopping of said suction producing device, and meansoperatively connected with said time-controlled switch mechanism, saidvertically slidable member and said intermediate locking member wherebysaid switch mechanism, said vertically slidable member and saidintermediate locking member are coincidentally controlled to start andstop said suction producing device in accordance with a predeterminedtime period, to lock and release said carriers, and to lock and releasesaid vertically slidable member all in accordance with said time period.

3. A vending machine of the type described comprising a casing, asuction producing device in said casing, a receptacle within said casingremovably connected with the outlet side of said suction producingdevice, a suction hose connected with the inlet side of said suctionproducing device and extending outwardly of said casing, a suctioncleaning device connected with said suction hose exteriorly of saidcasing, a roller in said casing over which said hose passes, carriers onwhich said roller is mounted, guideways in said casing on which saidcarriers are vertically movable, counter-weights connected with saidcarriers whereby the latter are maintained in and returned to a raisedposition in said casing, a lug on one of said carriers, an upper lockinglever co-operating with said lug for locking said carriers and roller insaid raised position, a lower locking lever co-operating with said lugfor locking said carriers and roller in a lowered position, actuatingmeans connected with said locking levers for operating the same ininverse relation, time-controlled switch mechanism controlling thestarting and stopping of said suction producing device in accordancewith a predetermined time period, and manually operated means accessibleexteriorly of said casing for starting said time-controlled switchmechanism, said manually operated means being loosely connected withsaid actuating. means for controlling the operation of said upper andlower locking members in inverse relation coincidentally with thestarting of said suction producing device to lock said carriers in theirlower positions at the beginning of said time period and to permitindependent operation of said actuating means and locking levers bygravity to lock said carriers in the upper positions at the end of saidtime period.

4. A vending machine of the type described comprising a casing, asuction producing device in said casing, a receptacle within said casingremovably connected with the outlet side of said suction producingdevice, a suction hose connected with the inlet side of said suction proat the end of a predetermined time period, and

manually operated means accessible exteriorly of said casing forstarting the time-controlled switch mechanism, and for controlling theoperation of said locking devices coincidentally with each other andwith the starting and stopping of said time-controlled switch mechanismin relatively reversed inverse relation to each other to lock saidvertically movable means in its lower and upper positions respectivelyat the beginning and end of said predetermined time n period.

5. A vending machine of the type described comprising a casing, asuction producing device in said casing, a receptacle within said casingremovably connected with the outlet side of said suction producingdevice, a suction hose connected with the inlet side of said suctionproducing device and extending outwardly of said casing, a suction brushconnected with said suction hose exteriorly of said casing, movablemeans within said casing for controlling the withdrawal of said suctionhose therefrom and its return into said casing, means including lockingdevices for locking said movable means when said hose is fully retractedin said casing and when said hose is withdrawn therefrom to apredetermined extent, time-controlled switch mechanism for starting andstopping said suction producing device, and controlling means forstarting said time-controlled switch mechanism and for coincidentallyactuating said locking devices in inverse relation to each other wherebysaid movable means is released to permit withdrawal of said hose fromsaid casing and subsequently locked to x said hose against retractioninto said casing, said time-controlled switch mechanism operatingautomatically after a predetermined time interval has elapsed to stopsaid suction producing device and to coincidentally operate said lockingdevices in reverse inverse relation to each other independently of saidcontrolling means whereby said hose is automatically retracted into saidcasing and locked against withdrawal therefrom.

NATHAN R. HARVEY.

